RootsRated Labs takes a closer look at how Montana is breaking visitation records

The Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development is working smarter thanks to new research that zeroes in on who is most likely to visit Montana, and how tourism marketing efforts can reach those likely travelers. That’s the takeaway from a recent feature piece by RootsRated Labs, a digital source that writes about best practices in outdoor and travel marketing.

For families in most neighboring states, Montana’s unspoiled nature can be experienced over a long weekend on just a tank of gas. That’s one of the reasons that the Montana Department of Commerce is targeting audiences in nearby states and Canada with its 2017 warm season tourism campaign which launched Monday nationwide.

The awards celebrate the outstanding work of the communities, businesses, organizations and people who strengthen Montana's tourism industry and thereby contribute to maximizing its economic impact for Montana residents.

Missoula-based TOMIS won $5,000 to start their dream business at the Shark Tank live pitch business plan competition Tuesday in Helena. TOMIS, and two other Montana entrepreneurs, Cowboy Cricket Farms of Belgrade, and Easy Lift of Great Falls were selected by Montana Small Business Development Center “shark tank” judges to pitch their business ideas at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Recreation in front of an audience of nearly 400.